Compare the top 8 expense management software and tools in Australia 2026

Key takeaways:

• We've compared eight leading expense management platforms available in Australia for 2026: Airwallex, Expensify, SAP Concur, MYOB, QuickBooks, Xero, Volopay, and Zoho Expense. Each has different strengths depending on your business size and international needs.

• Key features to compare include multi-currency support, corporate card programmes, automated approval workflows, accounting integrations, and Australian compliance features like GST and BAS support.

• Airwallex offers a unified platform that combines multi-currency corporate cards, global accounts, and expense management in one solution, built for businesses operating internationally from Australia.

Managing business expenses shouldn't feel like a full-time job. Yet many Australian companies are still drowning in spreadsheets, chasing receipts, and wrestling with clunky systems that create more problems than they solve.

If you're using manual processes or your current expense management platform isn't cutting it, you're not alone. According to our Simplifying Global Spend Report, 28% of companies say ineffective software is one of their biggest spend management challenges. The right tools can flip that script – automating approvals, catching errors before they happen, and giving finance teams real-time visibility into where money's going.

In this article, we'll cover how to choose business expense management software and the features to look out for. We'll also walk you through the best expense management software in Australia and why Airwallex might be a good fit for your business.

Top features to look for in expense management software

The best expense management software gives you physical and virtual cards, mobile receipt capture with OCR scanning, AI categorisation, customisable approval workflows, real-time tracking, and multi-currency support. Here's what each feature does for your business:

• Physical and virtual cards: Expense management providers often let you issue physical and virtual cards in the name of employees or the company. Cards can draw from company funds with pre-set limits and don't leave the employee out of pocket.

• Mobile receipt capture and OCR scanning: Look for solutions that offer easy receipt capture through mobile apps, so employees can snap photos of receipts on the go. OCR technology automatically extracts relevant data from receipts, so you'll have less manual data entry and fewer errors.

• AI categorisation and anomaly detection: With newer platforms, AI automatically sorts your expenses into the right categories and flags anything that looks out of the ordinary. It helps speed things up while keeping everything compliant.

• Customisable approval workflows and spend policies: Choose a solution that lets you create custom approval workflows based on your organisation's unique needs. When you set spending limits, define approval hierarchies, and automate policy enforcement, all expenses stay aligned with company guidelines.

• Real-time spend categorisation, tracking, and reporting: Real-time visibility into company spending helps you make informed financial decisions. Look for platforms that offer interactive dashboards and customisable reports, so you can monitor expenses by category, department, project, or employee. Real-time alerts and notifications help you stay on top of potential policy violations or unusual spending patterns.

• Multi-currency support for global expenses: For businesses with international operations or employees travelling abroad, multi-currency support is a must-have. Look for solutions that automatically convert expenses in foreign currencies, apply up-to-date exchange rates, and handle VAT/GST compliance requirements.

• Audit trail features: The best spend management platforms for auditability give you automated audit trails and compliance reporting. This feature means every action gets logged for transparency, reviews, and regulatory requirements.

Australian compliance features

If you're operating in Australia, your software needs to support local tax requirements. Look for features such as:

• GST tracking: The ability to accurately track the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on each expense.

• BAS support: Tools that make it easier to prepare and lodge your Business Activity Statement (BAS).

• Local integrations: Seamless connections with Australian accounting software like Xero, MYOB, and QuickBooks Australia.

How the best expense management platforms can help your business save time and money

When you bring in an expense management tool, you can reduce costs and optimise spending in several ways:

Eliminate manual processing and expense report submission

Automating expense submission, approval, and reimbursement processes significantly reduces the time and resources required to manage expenses manually. This cuts out paper-based processes, data entry, and manual reconciliation, saving staff time and reducing labour costs.

Ensure compliance with spend policies and expense reporting

The best expense management software lets you set up custom spend policies and automate policy enforcement. By defining clear rules around expense categories, approval limits, and reimbursement guidelines, you can proactively control spending and reduce the risk of fraud or policy violations.

Negotiate better rates

With detailed, real-time expense data at their fingertips, finance teams can easily identify spending patterns and areas for potential savings. This visibility helps them negotiate better rates with suppliers, vendors, or travel providers based on their company's specific spend profile and volume.

Streamline reconciliation

Expense management tools that integrate with corporate card programmes and accounting software automate reconciliation. No more manually matching expenses with card statements or bank transactions. You get faster month-end closes and more accurate financial reporting.

Optimise cash flow

Real-time visibility into company spending helps businesses make informed decisions about budgeting, forecasting, and cash flow management.

Reduce fraud and compliance risks

Expense management tools that enforce spend policies, provide audit trails, and offer robust security features help you mitigate the risk of fraud and stay compliant with regulatory requirements.

When you use these cost-saving benefits of expense management tools, you can reduce your overall expense processing costs, optimise your spending, and improve profitability.

The top 8 expense management software platforms in 2026

• Airwallex: We're a global financial platform with Expense Management built in. Multi-currency cards (employee and company) that pull straight from your Airwallex multi-currency wallets with granular controls, receipt OCR, and approval workflows you can configure however you need. Our integrations with Xero, NetSuite, and QuickBooks handle the sync automatically for expenses. If your team spends internationally and you want Expense Management along with Global Accounts, payment acceptance, Corporate Cards, Billing, subscription management, and more in one place, Airwallex has the financial tools you need.

• Expensify: Expensify offers expense management with mobile receipt scanning, automatic categorisation, and streamlined approvals. It integrates with accounting platforms like QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite, and Sage Intacct, allowing you to manage and reconcile expenses as they occur. The Collect plan gives you flexible month-to-month pricing at A$8 per member, while the Control plan's per-user pricing might increase costs if you have a larger team.

• SAP Concur: SAP Concur handles expense management automatically with mobile receipt capture, policy enforcement, and approval workflows. It connects with most ERP, CRM, HR, and accounting systems, offering over 200 integration options. Concur Expense, Travel, and Invoice work together on one connected platform for tracking employee-initiated expenses, travel costs, and invoice payments. It's built for larger organisations with complex workflows. Implementation time varies, and you'll need to request a custom quote for pricing.

• MYOB: MYOB offers entry-level plans including Solo (mobile app only) and Business Lite, designed for sole traders and small businesses. You can use it to track income and expenses, send invoices and quotes, scan and store receipts, and lodge BAS. You can connect your bank accounts and generate standard reports through the platform. Various plans are available, including Solo for sole traders, Lite for up to two employees, and AccountRight Premier for more complex businesses.

• QuickBooks: QuickBooks includes expense management as part of its broader accounting platform. You can scan receipts, assign categories, and generate reports. It connects with over 500 apps and includes a free mobile accounting app for iOS and Android. Multi-currency is supported on Essentials, Plus, and Advanced plans, with Advanced adding bill-approval workflows. This platform works well if you're a small to mid-sized business looking for an all-in-one solution.

• Xero: Xero is a cloud-based accounting tool often used by startups and small businesses. Xero Expenses through the Xero Me app offers mobile receipt scanning, mileage tracking, approvals, and reimbursements. Plans start from A$35 per month, and you'll get multi-currency accounting on higher-tier plans. Xero connects with more than 1,000 apps through the Xero App Store.

• Volopay: Volopay is an APAC-focused spend platform combining corporate virtual and physical cards, reimbursements, and bill pay with real-time controls and approvals. Plans start from $25 per month with unlimited users. It offers multi-currency payments through global accounts and connects with Xero, MYOB, and NetSuite to automate coding and reconciliation.

• Zoho Expense: Zoho Expense is part of the Zoho suite, covering travel and expense management with receipt autoscan, automated per diem calculations, and mileage tracking. It offers configurable approval workflows from simple to multi-level, corporate card feed management with real-time transaction matching, and policy enforcement with spend limits. It connects with Zoho Books, QuickBooks, and Xero. Mobile apps are available for iOS and Android, and the platform works for businesses already using other Zoho applications.

8 of the best expense management software solutions

Here's how eight leading platforms stack up, so you can see which tools offer the features your business actually needs.

Compare features and additional fees

Airwallex

Founded in Australia, we built an all-in-one financial platform with expense management at its core. You get multi-currency corporate cards (both employee and company cards), automated approval workflows, receipt OCR, and real-time spend tracking. Everything pulls directly from your wallets.

Your expenses sync automatically with Xero, NetSuite, and QuickBooks, so reconciliation happens in the background. Add our end-to-end Billing toolkit to streamline your customer invoices and payments, and you've got end-to-end spend management without jumping between systems.

Unlike standalone expense tools, Airwallex combines your Expense Management with Global Accounts, FX solutions, and payment acceptance.

If you're operating internationally or planning to, you can hold and spend in multiple currencies without forced conversions or hidden FX fees. You can save up to 80% compared to traditional banks.

Pros

• All-in-one platform combining global accounts, FX, cards, and expense management

• Multi‐currency with competitive FX margins; card spend draws from your Airwallex balances so you can avoid separate foreign transaction fees

• Issue unlimited virtual cards instantly, with granular spend controls per card or employee

• Direct accounting integrations eliminate manual reconciliation

Cons

• Digital-only platform with no physical branches

• Physical POS functionality coming soon (currently on roadmap)

Expensify

Expensify offers company card management, bill and invoicing tools, expense approval workflows, and third-party card feeds. It integrates with QuickBooks Online, Xero, NetSuite, and Sage Intacct (note: some integrations, like Sage Intacct, require higher-tier plans). In Australia, it supports reimbursements in AUD, generates ABA files for manual upload to local banks, and offers GST-compatible integrations with accounting software.

These features are typically a better fit for larger businesses, as the per-user fee structure can increase costs for smaller teams.

Pros

• User-friendly interface

• Categorises expenses and matches receipts to transactions

• Integrates with numerous accounting platforms

• Supports Australian reimbursements (AUD, ABA, and Global Reimbursement) and local compliance

Cons

• Pricing may be high for small businesses or individuals

• Manual entry may be required if receipt scanning errors occur

• Advanced features and set-up (e.g. custom approvals, multi-entity workflows) can add complexity for admins

SAP Concur

SAP Concur handles expense management automatically with tools such as mobile receipt capture, automated policy checks, and configurable approval workflows. It connects with SAP and other ERP systems, supporting multi-currency transactions and compliance with international and Australian tax regulations.

In Australia, it's primarily used by mid-to-large organisations that need scalable expense, travel, and invoice management. You'll typically need IT or partner assistance for implementation and integration.

Pros

• Integrates with SAP and other ERP/accounting systems

• Supports multiple currencies and global compliance

• Comprehensive features across expenses, travel, and invoice automation

Cons

• Limited support for corporate cards in multiple currencies per user profile

• Pricing is non-transparent and provided via custom quotes

• Implementation can be lengthy depending on scope and integration complexity

MYOB

MYOB offers entry-level plans including Solo (mobile app only) and Business Lite, designed for sole traders and small businesses with up to 2 employees. You can use it to track income and expenses, manage GST and lodge BAS, and add payroll for up to two employees (with the option to expand at an additional cost). It also supports bill management, bank feeds, and basic inventory and order management.

More advanced inventory features, such as multi-warehouse tracking, are available in AccountRight Premier, while multi-currency support requires AccountRight Premier.

Only advanced AccountRight plans include multi-currency support, making Business Lite less suitable for businesses with global operations. While the base subscription is relatively affordable, premium features such as expanded payroll and online invoice payments require separate add-ons.

Pros

• Strong compliance with Australian tax requirements (GST, BAS, STP)

• Australian-based support and customer service

• Intuitive interface suitable for small business users

• Extensive third-party integrations via the MYOB App Marketplace (hundreds of apps)

Cons

• No employee or corporate cards for spend tracking

• Advanced features like comprehensive inventory, multi-currency, payroll expansion, and online payments require add-ons or higher-tier plans, increasing total cost

QuickBooks

QuickBooks Australia offers cloud-based accounting software for small and medium-sized businesses. It includes invoicing, expense tracking, bank feeds, GST and BAS lodgement, and bill management. Payroll can be added for A$6 per active employee per month. Pricing appears in Australian dollars and includes GST.

Pros

• Australian pricing in AUD (GST inclusive) and local support

• Comprehensive accounting tools for small and medium businesses

• Free 30-day trial for new users

Cons

• You'll need add-ons or higher-tier plans for payroll and advanced features

• May be complex for very small businesses

• No built-in corporate or employee spend cards

Xero

Xero is cloud-based accounting software for Australian small and medium-sized businesses. Core features include online invoicing and quotes, bank feeds and reconciliation, bill management, GST and BAS lodgement, reporting, and mobile access. Xero also offers a Xero Expenses app to capture receipts and submit expense claims.

Pros

• Unlimited users on all Xero business plans

• Large app ecosystem via the Xero App Store

• Cloud-based with mobile access

Cons

• Xero doesn't offer corporate or employee spend cards; you can get these through third-party apps in the Xero App Store

• The features you get and any usage charges (for example, for expenses, payroll, or projects) will vary depending on your plan

Volopay

Volopay is a business expense management and corporate card platform built for Australian companies. It offers multi-currency business accounts, physical and virtual cards, reimbursement management, bill payments, subscription tracking, and automated approval workflows. The platform connects with accounting tools such as Xero, NetSuite, and MYOB, and supports domestic and international transfers and multi‐currency accounts; see Volopay for method availability.

Pros

• Supports multi-currency business accounts and global payments

• Offers physical and virtual employee cards with spending limits and controls

• Includes automated approval workflows, expense tracking, and reimbursement management

• Connects with major accounting software used in Australia

Cons

• Transaction and foreign exchange fees can vary depending on usage.

• Businesses may need training to adapt existing finance workflows to the platform.

• Some advanced global features or payment methods may incur additional costs.

Zoho Expense

Zoho Expense is expense management software built for Australian businesses like yours. It handles expense reporting, receipt scanning, and approval workflows automatically, and supports corporate card transaction matching, mileage tracking, and purchase request workflows (availability depends on plan). The platform includes mobile apps for iOS and Android and connects with Zoho products and third-party accounting systems including Xero, and QuickBooks.

Zoho Expense offers a free plan as well as paid plans that add capabilities such as policy controls, multi-level approvals, and advanced integrations. Setup and onboarding may take additional time for larger organisations.

Pros

• Free plan available

• Mobile apps for capturing and submitting receipts

• Connects with Zoho and major third-party accounting platforms

• Handles expense reporting and approval workflows automatically

Cons

• Feature availability, such as purchase requests and multi-currency capabilities, depends on the selected plan

• Implementation and onboarding can take longer for larger organisations

• Some advanced functions may require higher-tier plans or add-ons

What are expense management tools and software?

Expense management software is a digital platform that handles the tracking, reporting, and reimbursement of business expenses automatically. These tools streamline your workflows, enforce spending policies, and give you real-time visibility into company spending.

How does expense management software work?

Expense management software gives you a centralised platform to track, approve, and reconcile expenses more efficiently. Typically accessed through both web and mobile applications, these tools automate the end-to-end process and reduce the need for manual input.

The standard workflow looks like this:

• Employees submit expense claims, often by scanning receipts via a mobile app.

• Approvers receive notifications to review and approve claims based on company policy.

• Approved expenses are reimbursed or matched to corporate card transactions.

• Expenses are automatically categorised and integrated with accounting software.

• Finance teams can monitor spending and generate reports in real time.

Many platforms integrate with your accounting or ERP systems and support multi-currency transactions. This helps improve accuracy, maintain compliance, and gives finance teams clearer oversight of business spending.

Why businesses choose Airwallex to manage their expenses, and more

In the market for the top expense management software? Airwallex can give you full visibility and control over spending, minus the spreadsheets and guesswork. You can automate approvals, issue unlimited virtual cards, and integrate with accounting tools for faster reconciliation. With multi-currency support and global reach built-in, it's designed for growing teams like yours that don't want to waste time chasing receipts or switching between platforms.

With direct integrations into platforms like Xero, NetSuite, and SAP, plus features like multi-level approval workflows, built-in budget controls, and unlimited Corporate Cards, it can help finance teams stay on top of every transaction. Support for global payouts and multi-currency functionality also makes it a strong fit for businesses with domestic and international operations.

Airwallex can also do much more than expense management. As an all-in-one financial platform, we help businesses scale globally. We have 80 licences and permits globally, giving your business the scale and reach to grow beyond borders. You can open a multi-currency Global Account and get local banking details in 21 countries to bank like a local. In that same account you can accept 70+ currencies and pay out to over 200+ countries.

You also do not need to look elsewhere to accept customer payments, with low-code checkout solutions, payment links and payment plugins available in your Airwallex dashboard. You can accept customer payments from 130+ currencies and accept over 160 local payment methods. Better yet, you can settle currencies like-for-like.

Airwallex also offers a Yield account to grow your funds in USD and AUD, low-cost FX, multi-currency Corporate Cards, and more.

Expense management platform: frequently asked questions

What are the best expense management platforms for small businesses in 2026?

The best platform depends on your needs, but Airwallex, Zoho Expense, and MYOB offer affordable plans with mobile access and strong accounting integrations ideal for small teams.

Which spend management platforms are most affordable for small teams?

Small teams looking for an affordable spend management platform may want to consider Zoho Expense, Volopay, QuickBooks and Airwallex. These platforms offer low monthly pricing, easy onboarding, and automated expense tracking features ideal for small teams managing limited budgets. Airwallex also provides scalable pricing that can grow with your team.

What are the best spend management tools for startups?

Start-ups need spend management platforms that can grow with them. Top choices include Airwallex, Expensify, and Zoho Expense. They provide affordable entry-level pricing, along with the automations, integrations, and global readiness that agile, growing teams require.

How long does it take to implement expense management software?

Simple tools can be set up in a day, while comprehensive platforms with ERP integrations may take several weeks. Platforms like Airwallex are designed for quick onboarding within a few business days.

What's the difference between expense management and accounting software?

Expense management software focuses specifically on tracking, approving, and reimbursing employee spending. Accounting software is broader, managing your company's entire financial record, including revenue, payroll, and financial statements. Most expense management platforms integrate with accounting software to sync spending data automatically.

Can expense management software handle GST and BAS requirements for Australian businesses?

Yes, most platforms designed for the Australian market track GST on individual expenses and generate BAS reports. Make sure the platform has specific Australian tax compliance features before you choose.

Sources

1. https://veridion.com/blog-posts/spend-management-statistics/

2. https://use.expensify.com/expense-reports

3. https://www.expensify.com/pricing

4. https://www.concur.com.au/expense-management

5. https://www.concur.com.au/get-quote-form

6. https://www.myob.com/au/pricing

7. https://www.myob.com/au/products/myob-business/lite

8. https://quickbooks.intuit.com/au/pricing/

9. https://www.xero.com/au/pricing-plans/ 

10. https://www.volopay.com/au/pricing/

11. https://www.zoho.com/au/expense/

The information in this article is based on our own online research. Airwallex was not able to manually test each tool or provider. The information is provided for educational purposes only and a reader should consider the specific requirements of their business when evaluating providers. This research is reviewed annually. If you would like to request an update, feel free to contact us at [[email protected]]. This information doesn’t take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. If you are a customer of Airwallex Pty Ltd (AFSL No. 487221) read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for the Direct Services available here.